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System psychology, or just psyched out?

After reading through these forums a bit, listening to what some people have to say about their systems and given my own experience, I have noticed something of a pattern:
People generally like their systems.

Now my question would be is this for psychological reasons, or purely objective?

What I mean is, after we buy something and own it we usually become comfortable and accepting of it which may affect our judgement of it. We become accustomed to and familiar to our systems, and regard it dearly and would not wish to part with it... We have a pride of ownership.

For example, I met a guy in the hi-fi shop who said he loved his Totem Mani-II speakers, but that when he first heard them he wasn't really overly impressed by them, they were simply the best he could afford. But now, he loves them and is completely satisfied with their sound. I know that speakers need to be broken in and played in your usual listening environment for a satisfactory audition, but I also think that other psychological factors like pride of ownership, familiarity and comfort with the product, etcetera, play a role in the level of enjoyment and opinion of the sound.

Now don't mock me here, but my RCA home theater in a box system along with my Bose Acoustic Wave music System(you know, the big stereo box) gives me great enjoyment when listening to music. Playing CD's from my cheap $40 Cyberhome DVD player, the sound has good, not great soundstaging and depth along with decent, good stereo imaging. Also the sound is pretty clear, certainly not the best earth challenging sonics, but still nice. I actually think my system costing just over 300 bucks, 1500 if you count the Bose, which I guess you must although I got it for free from my uncle, he owns a pawn shop, sounds better than the 20, 50, 80, 100 thousand dollar rigs I hear at Audio Lab, my Hi-end shop. Don't get me wrong, I know there's better sound out there, and I want to upgrade which is why I go there(Audio Lab), but I do enjoy my modest setup immensely.

So what's the deal? You think if people heard their own system blindfolded they would be so thrilled, or does the fact that they own it influence their views... and ears?

Oh well, just a thought I had about systems and speakers, what about you?
audio_obsessed_novic

Showing 2 responses by sns

sns
3,003 posts
 
Folks, what we have here is a 1st degree Wizard, anyone who has the ability to delude themselves a $1500 system sounds better than 100k systems certainly is in posession of great magic. This goes way beyond psychology, I only wish I had the same capacity for self delusion, certainly would save me a great deal of money and angst.
It is also highly debatable that most people here "generally like their systems." If this was true there would be much less turnover of equipment in people's systems. Check the number of member transactions.
You state there is "better sound out there," yet you also say you prefer your own system to ones costing 100k, well, where did you hear this better sound?
It sounds to me like your self delusion has some cracks in the armor. If you truly believe there is "better sound out there," you may seek and discover it, what happens to your contentment then? When that surety of contentment leaves, you will be but one small step away from a decent into the subjectivist abyss. It seems you then have two choices, remaining an objectivist wizard or joining the subjectivist human hordes.
System psychology and/or psyched out, its all part and parcel of our humanity, can one exist without the other?
sns
3,003 posts
 
Audio_obsessed_novic, have you thought that perhaps you are predisposed to preferring your system to the mega buck systems just because it is so cheap. Perhaps, the pride of owning something so cheap that out performs mega buck systems has altered your perceptions.
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